This will show you how to make a bongo drum (shell only) without a solid piece of wood.

Step 1: The Math

We chose to use 9 pieces of wood to make the shell. The math behind this is that esentially we are trying to make a circle. There are 360 degrees in a circle. we are using 9 pieces. two of the sides of each piece are being cut. 2x9=18, and then we divide 360 by 18. This turns into 20, so each side of each piece of wood will be cut at a 20 degree angle.

Step 2: The Pieces

After the cutting, this is what we ended up with. 9 pieces with two sides with a 20 degree angle.

Step 3: Glueing Pt. 1

The rest of the drum is very simple. Glue and let dry for approximately 30 min. We paired 2 pieces together and glued them together. One rested on the table, and the other was held up by a few extra pieces of wood. We then used a foam brush to even out the glue.

Step 4: Glueing Pt. 2

We then paired those pairs up and also added the 9th piece to one of them.

Step 5: Glueing Pt. 3

This is the final glueing stage. We put both of the halves together, but this time the wood is upright. We used a strap clamp to keep the wood pieces together. If you do not have a a strap clamp, you could use a bungee cord.

Step 6: Sanding

The final step is the easiest. Sanding. Once the glue is dry, all you need to do is sand down the sides and the corners to make the drum look nice and so there won't be any splinters. We used a sanding machine to make it quicker.